Itachi's Secret
by TruthfulJerk
Summary: Itachi died but not without a secret. Something he had not even told Sasuke. This is set before the Boruto movie. *UPDATE* I added a picture of Aiko as the Cover Image, I decided that I didn't want to use a random picture off the internet so I made her myself with a template of Itachi (:
1. Chapter 1

_Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoy! (:_

...

Sasuke was still on his journey. Now a 32 year old husband who had a daughter of his own. He rarely saw them or anyone in the village for that matter. He still had business to attend to. He was headed to the Land of Lightning and made a stop before he got there. The Hidden Frost Village was a small place that was still set in the old ways when it came to technology. It was something he felt grateful for. He stopped at a tea shop to rest.

"Welcome! My, we don't get many people out here," an old woman said, smiling. Sasuke sat down at the table and sighed. Had he been that tired? The old woman poured him some green tea. Being so far north, it was always cold. Right now, it was snowing.

"Thank you," he said.

"What would you like?" she asked, taking out a notebook to take his order. Sasuke looked at the menu on the wall furthest to the right silently before he replied.

"Some rice balls with bonito flake filling, please," Sasuke said. The old woman smiled and went to the kitchen in the back. Sasuke looked around. It looked old but clean. He noted the wood furniture. He closed his eyes and smelled the snow, the outside, and the wood from inside along with the smell of his food coming from the kitchen.

"With all the modern technology coming out, people don't even sit on these old chairs anymore. Those shiny new tea houses are going to put us out of business," the old woman said coming back with Sasuke's food.

"I doubt it. There are many people who love seeing towns the way they used to be," Sasuke replied. The woman's eyes were shining brightly.

"If you say so, let me know if you need anything else," she grinned, walking back to the kitchen. Sasuke bit a rice ball and savored the flavor.

"Granny! I brought you the stuff you wanted!" a girl shouted, walking in. She was carrying a large woven basket. When she turned to look at him, Sasuke's heart froze.

"Oh, there you are, Aiko, thank you! You know us old people don't have the strength you young ones do," the old woman said, patting the girl's shoulder.

"Wait right here, I'll bring in the rest," Aiko said, running back out into the snow.

"Who is that girl?" Sasuke asked. His breathing was heavy and confused.

"Oh, Aiko? She's just a girl that lives around here. She's an orphan," the old woman said.

"She doesn't have any parents?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, no. When her mother was still alive, there was no sign of the father. Then, her mother died giving birth to her. It's such a tragic story but Aiko doesn't seem bothered by it. She's such a peppy upbeat girl. Being such a small knit town, we all decided to get her a little hut to live in when she was old enough and have loved her ever since," the old woman said.

"Here's the other basket," Aiko said, returning with another large woven basket. She placed it down next to the other one.

"Thank you Aiko, you're such a big help, please, sit down and I'll pour you some tea," the old woman said, walking away to the kitchen. Aiko nodded and sat at the table closest to her. That's when she noticed him. She looked up and saw a man she had never seen before. Yet. There was something about him that looked familiar in a strange way.

"Hello there," Sasuke greeted.

"Hello," she replied, bowing her head slightly. The old woman came back with her green tea and some tri-colored dango.

"Thank you, granny!" Aiko said. She looked down at her dango and clapped her hands together, "Itadakimasu," she said and took a bite. Sasuke noted that she was eating the exact same thing that…no, it couldn't be. But then, why did this young girl look so much like…an Uchiha. The more he looked at her, the more he couldn't keep his thoughts off her appearance. When he looked at her, she kind of resembled his mother, but her eyes and her face. There was no doubt about it. It was like a female twin of Itachi. Who was this girl?

"Excuse me? Why are you staring at me? It's creeping me out," Aiko said. She was looking at him. Sasuke put his hand behind his head-such a Naruto thing to do-and just smiled at her.

"You look just like my daughter, if she was your age," Sasuke blurted. She looked at him curiously.

"You have a daughter?" she asked. Sasuke nodded. She looked sad.

"Then why aren't you with her? She probably wants to see you," Aiko said, staring down at her dango. Sasuke couldn't say anything.

"Now, now, Aiko, don't be rude to our guests," the old woman said returning to fill Sasuke's tea cup.

"It's alright. Actually, I'd like to ask a favor," Sasuke said. The old woman and Aiko just looked at him, curious. He looked at Aiko.

"What is it?" she asked, warily.

"Would you come to the hospital with me?" Sasuke asked. Both Aiko and the woman were completely confused.

"Why would I go there?" Aiko asked.

"Because I want to see something for myself," Sasuke said. Aiko just stared at him.

"What makes you think that I would want to go anywhere with a strange old guy?" Aiko asked, getting upset. Ignoring the old comment, Sasuke pressed on.

"Because you felt it too, when you saw me, didn't you?" Sasuke asked. Aiko stayed quiet.

"What do you plan on doing with our little Aiko?" the old woman asked defensively. Sasuke just held his hands up.

"Just a small DNA test, that's all," Sasuke said, "You can even go with us," he added, nodding at the old woman. The two girls stayed quiet.

"Why would I want that…" Aiko said, "I don't have any family," she added. Sasuke stood up, startling the two girls.

"Would you just come?" he asked. This was very unlike him. He was in the middle of a mission but the girl's appearance was haunting him and his heart wouldn't settle down.

"Well I guess there's no harm," the old woman said. She looked at Aiko who just sat there, unsure of herself.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt…" Aiko said slowly.

"The nearest hospital is fifty miles to the north, it's going to take a little while to get there," the old woman said. Sasuke knew it to be true. This old hag would slow them down a lot, but still, the tugging at his heart wouldn't stop.

"That's fine. Let's go," Sasuke said, walking out the door.

…..

 _I hope that wasn't too long of a chapter. Please let me know what you think! Thank you for reading! (:_


	2. Chapter 2

_Part 2. Thank you for reading! (:_

…..

They were almost there, just a few miles to go. They were already in the Land of Lightning, which is where Sasuke wanted to go anyway. Here, there would be modern hospitals. A DNA test would put Sasuke's heart at ease. Throughout the journey, Sasuke noted Aiko's person. She was very kind and gentle. Helping the old woman the entire time.

"Be careful," Aiko told the old woman for what seemed like the millionth time that trip. She was holding on to the woman's arm, smiling the entire time. If it had bothered her or been hard for her, she didn't show. Aiko remained smiling brightly and being cheerful.

"What a huge building! Is that really the hospital?" the old woman shouted, amazed. Sasuke turned to his loud company.

"Well then, let's get this over with," Sasuke said. When they entered, there were lots of people there. Sasuke walked up to the front desk and spoke something to the girl there, upon his words, she bowed and ran to get a superior. Aiko was just looking around, amazed at the large and shiny building.

"Hello again," a woman said. She was obviously a doctor with her white robes. Sasuke motioned for Aiko to follow, alone. The old woman sat in the waiting room and Aiko followed Sasuke and the doctor. They arrived at a room and she was instructed to sit on the chair outside while Sasuke went inside alone with the doctor.

"Such a big place," Aiko mused. She sat silently with her hands on her knees. After a while, the door opened.

"Come in," Sasuke said. She stood up and walked in. It was a simple room with a hospital bed and a desk with a chair and some cabinets.

"Come, Aiko," the doctor said. Aiko walked up to her and sat down in the chair in front of her. The doctor wiped her pointer finger with a sterile cloth. It was cold and wet.

"It's only going to be a little poke, please don't move," the doctor smiled gently. With a friendly face telling her that, Aiko relaxed as the doctor poked her finger. Blood came out and the doctor collected it in a vile.

"Is that it?" Aiko asked. The doctor nodded, smiling, she put a band aid on her finger.

"Given how advanced our technology is, this will only take a few minutes, please, wait here while I get the results," the doctor said, leaving them alone in the room.

"So what is going to happen?" Aiko asked, breaking the silence.

"She is going to check your blood for your DNA. Once she does that, she will match it with that of the clans all over. We're going to find out who your family is," Sasuke said plainly. He was staring out the window the entire time. Aiko's heart fluttered. A family? But, her village was her family, what would she do? After minutes of silence in the room, there was a knock on the door. The doctor came back in with papers in her hands.

"Well, I'm not sure how to go about with this. Should I tell you first, alone?" she asked Sasuke. Sasuke's heart was about to fall out of his chest. What did that mean?

"No, it's better if we both hear it," Sasuke said. Aiko's heart was racing and pounding so hard that she could hear it.

"Aiko, based on the blood results, I am one hundred percent sure about what I am about to tell you…you are part of a clan after all," the doctor began. Aiko sighed.

"Does that mean I still have family out there?" Aiko asked, smiling. She mused about the thought of having grandparents and uncles and aunts and even cousins.

"Yes, and no. Aiko…" the doctor began, then, she turned to stare at Sasuke before she finished, "…you are an Uchiha," the doctor announced, staring at him. Sasuke was shocked.

"Who are they? Where do they live? Can I go meet them?" Aiko asked happily. Her smiling face was exactly like his, like Itachi's.

"Well, there are only two of them left, aside from yourself. This is Sasuke Uchiha," the doctor said. Aiko froze. Thoughts rushing in her mind all at once. Two left? This old man was one of them? Who was her father, then?

"I'll leave you two for a moment," the doctor said, leaving. The room was silent. Without another word, they walked back to the waiting room to find the old woman there. She looked at them and stood up, afraid.

"What happened? Is Aiko alright?" the old woman asked, placing her hand on Aiko's shoulders.

"Its fine, granny," Aiko said, smiling. Sasuke turned to look at the old woman.

"There was nothing? You don't know anything about who Aiko's father is?" Sasuke asked. The old woman paused for a moment.

"There was this one young man. I only saw him once though. He was talking with Aiko's mother, they seemed friendly," the old woman said.

"What did he look like?" Sasuke's question was rushed, frantic. It startled both the old woman and Aiko.

"Well, if I remember correctly, I'd say…a lot like you," the old woman said, deep in her thoughts. That was it. The only other person who looked a lot like him was his brother, Itachi.

"Like this old guy?" Aiko asked.

"Yes and, well, when they said their goodbyes, they both looked very sad. Your mother cried all night. She told me that he was going away, forever. I don't know what that meant, but a year later, there you were," the old woman told Aiko. Sasuke was deep in thought, making a mental image of the timeline. But how? How could Itachi have had a child? Who was Aiko's mother?

"Then there's no mistaking it…you are a part of my clan, Aiko," Sasuke said suddenly. Aiko looked up at him.

"What exactly are you, to me?" Aiko asked. Sasuke thought hard for a moment.

"I'd have to say that you're my niece," Sasuke replied. An uncle. Aiko blushed, filled with happiness.

"So does that mean that your daughter and me are cousins?" Aiko asked, looking up at him with a smile that made his heart melt. She was definitely Itachi's daughter. There was no mistaking it.

"So, what will you do now," the old woman asked. Aiko turned to her.

"What do you mean?" Aiko asked.

"Will you go home with him?" the old woman continued. Aiko looked up at Sasuke, unsure of what she could say.

"You should come home with me, Aiko. The Hidden Leaf Village is your home," Sasuke said. She was Itachi's daughter. That fact alone made Sasuke feel a love similar to the one he felt for his own daughter. Aiko looked at the old woman who was just smiling at her.

"Go on, you finally found your home," the old woman smiled. Aiko's eyes watered. She hugged the old woman tightly.

"I'll never forget you," Aiko whispered. The old woman just smiled at her lovingly.

"Well then, let's go home," Sasuke said, walking out of the hospital. Aiko had to run to catch up to him. She waved goodbye to the old woman and turned around to follow her new found uncle to a land she had never been to before. A whole new life awaited her.

…..

"Oh, it's Sasuke's falcon," Naruto said, getting a note from the bird. Upon reading it, his face was shocked.

"What is it?" Shikamaru asked. Naruto turned to look at him.

"Sasuke's coming home," Naruto said.

"And?" Shikamaru asked, pressing Naruto. Naruto looked at the note again, making sure he didn't read things wrong.

"He's coming home with someone," Naruto said.

"Huh? With who?" Shikamaru asked.

"An Uchiha," Naruto replied.

.

Sarada's heart froze. She was about to run into the office to ask where her father was when she heard this. An Uchiha? Weren't she and her father the only ones left?

…..

 _Thanks again for reading! I know the story is a little slow-paced so bear with me. I hope you enjoyed! Comment below what you think! (:_


	3. Chapter 3

_Enjoy! (:_

…

"Will they like me?" Aiko asked. They were almost at the Leaf Village gate. Sasuke looked down at her.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," Sasuke said. Feeling relief, Aiko smiled.

"A whole new life awaits me, huh?" Aiko said quietly. Sasuke kept looking forward and nodded.

…

"They should be arriving soon," Naruto pointed out.

"Yeah, I wonder what she looks like," Shikamaru said.

"No kidding, to think that Itachi would've had a daughter that no one knew about," Naruto mused. The door to the office opened.

"Sarada," Shikamaru greeted.

"Is papa really coming home?" she asked. They just looked at her and nodded silently.

"Maybe you should go tell your mom about it," Naruto offered. Sarada looked at him suspiciously.

"Is it because he's coming home with someone," Sarada asked. Naruto scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Just run along," Shikamaru chuckled nervously. Sarada glared at the two and bowed before running off.

"Phew, I'm glad we got out of that one. I don't think we should be the ones to say anything about it to her. It's not our place," Naruto said. Shikamaru nodded in agreement.

…

"Ah, hello Sasuke, and who might this be?" the guard at the gate asked.

"No one. We're going straight to the Hokage's office," Sasuke said. The two guards nodded and let them through.

"We're meeting THE Hokage? Are we able to do that?" Aiko asked. Realizing that she grew up very old fashioned, Sasuke didn't ask why she thought meeting the Hokage was impossible. As they walked, Aiko noted the bustling village. There were new looking shops everywhere and there were a lot of tall buildings. People just ignored them as they continued with their daily lives.

"Here we are," Sasuke finally said. They walked into the Hokage's building and went upstairs, straight to the office.

"Sasuke," Naruto greeted as they walked into the Hokage office. Aiko instinctively bowed to Naruto, realizing that this blonde haired man was the Hokage. She got on her knees and lowered her head to him. Naruto and Shikamaru looked at the bowing girl in confusion.

"She's very old fashioned," Sasuke offered, "Aiko, stand up," he said and she did as she was told.

"So, you're an Uchiha," Naruto mused. There was no doubt about it. All you had to do was look at her.

"How about we get someone to escort you around the village? You know, show you around?" Shikamaru asked. Aiko smiled at him and nodded. As he said this, Konohamaru walked into the office.

"Hi, Aiko-chan, I'm Konohamaru, I'll be showing you around," a brown haired, blue eyed man said. He was wearing a green vest and a blue scarf. Aiko bowed at him.

"Hi, Konohamaru-san, pleased to meet you," Aiko greeted.

"Alright, let's go," Konohamaru said. Aiko bowed at the men in the room and looked at Sasuke before she left, following Konohamaru.

"She's Itachi's daughter," Sasuke said.

"She definitely looks like an Uchiha," Naruto replied.

"So what are you going to do? Adopt her?" Shikamaru asked.

"No. I intend to give her half of everything. It is rightfully hers," Sasuke said. Naruto and Shikamaru were shocked.

"I plan to help her find an apartment or home near mine so that she can be close to Sakura and Sarada as I won't be here much," Sasuke said.

"Well then I guess all we need is to make it official. I'll go get the paperwork concerning the Uchiha properties and money," Shikamaru said, leaving.

"Has she awakened Sharingan?" Naruto asked.

"No…she's very positive and happy all the time. Even growing up an orphan, she harbors no ill will or hatred or even sadness. If she has none of those in her heart, then there is no way that she can ever activate the Sharingan," Sasuke said. Naruto thought for a moment.

"Will you have her train? Or do you think it's best for her to stay as is and not awaken it?" Naruto asked. Sasuke stayed quiet for a moment.

"I'm not her guardian. I'm just an uncle. She has to decide all that on her own," Sasuke said. Naruto nodded and Shikamaru came in with paperwork.

"Well, all you need to do is sign the paperwork so that she can be entitled to half of the Uchiha properties and money," Shikamaru said. Sasuke nodded and signed the papers.

"I'm going to tell Sakura and Sarada about this," Sasuke said as he left the room.

"He cares about Aiko, in his own way," Naruto mused.

…..

"We should stop and rest for a while," Konohamaru suggested. They covered almost the whole village and Aiko looked tired.

"If it's no trouble," she replied, smiling up at him.

"What an adorable couple," an old woman noted as she passed by. Konohamaru rubbed the back of his head nervously, chuckling.

"Konohamaru-san, why would she think that?" Aiko asked. Konohamaru turned red.

"Well I guess it's because you're a very cute girl, Aiko-chan," he said between nervous chuckles. They arrived at a tea shop.

"It's so shiny and new," Aiko pointed out as they sat at a table.

"Order anything you'd like, it's on me," Konohamaru said.

"Ah, Konohamaru sensei, welcome, what would you have?" the waitress asked. He looked at Aiko and motioned for her to order something.

"I'll have green tea and dumplings please," she said.

"That's all," Konohamaru said. The waitress nodded and left.

"You're a teacher?" Aiko asked. Konohamaru chuckled nervously again.

"I'm a jonin, leader of a squad," Konohamaru smiled. Just as he said that, he noticed three suspicious looking people walk in and sit at the table across from them. He sighed.

"This is such a beautiful village, big, but homey in a sense. I hope I get used to it quickly," Aiko thought aloud.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get to know it well," Konohamaru said. Just then, the three people came up to them.

"My, what a lovely couple we have here," the older man said. Konohamaru sighed.

"Boruto, what are you guys doing?" he asked, annoyed. The three groaned in defeat. They transformed into three younger kids. Aiko was shocked at the transformation. She looked at them. A white haired pale skinned boy wearing a kimono. A blonde haired boy with blue eyes, he looked just like the Hokage. And a girl. Realizing who she looked like, Aiko grinned widely.

"You must be Sasuke-san's daughter," Aiko smiled. Sarada looked at her, confused.

"Woah, what a pretty girl," Mitsuki mused. Aiko smiled shyly.

"She looks a little like you, Sarada," Boruto pointed out.

"Guys, this is Aiko-chan," Konohamaru said.

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Uchiha Aiko," she said. Sarada's heart dropped and the other two were just as shocked as she was.

"U-Uchiha?" Sarada asked.

…..

 _Thank you for reading! (:_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey guys! Enjoy! (:_

…

"U-Uchiha? I thought me and papa were the only ones left," Sarada said, shocked. Aiko just smiled sweetly at her.

"Sarada-chan, I'm your older cousin," Aiko spoke, breaking Sarada out of her shock.

"Cousins?" Boruto asked, confused.

"Anyway, Sarada, Aiko, your dad asked us to meet him and Sakura at your house. Let's go, Boruto, Mitsuki, you should stay out of this for now," Konohamaru said.

…

"Your niece? Are you sure?" Sakura asked. She was excited that her husband had finally come home.

"Yes, if Itachi were a girl, he'd look exactly like her, besides, with a blood test we found out that she really is an Uchiha," Sasuke replied. Sakura sat down, bewildered by the news.

"Well there's an extra room here-"Sakura began.

"She'll be living alone. I've already gotten an apartment ready for her," Sasuke interrupted.

"If you think that's best…" Sakura replied. There was a knock on the door.

"They're here" Sasuke said. They went to open the door together. When they opened it, Sakura saw Konohamaru with Sarada and the girl who had to be Aiko because of her looks. Her black hair was tied up into a long ponytail and her eyes were also black. Sakura looked down and saw her chest and inwardly cried. Why did this teenager have to have bigger boobs than her!

"Sasuke-san," Konohamaru greeted before he bowed and left.

"Come in," Sakura said, moving aside to let the girls in. They all went to the living room and Sakura brought out some tea.

"Now that we're all here, let's all explain this, hmm?" Sakura smiled as she sat beside Sasuke.

"Sarada, this is my older brother's daughter, Aiko. She'll be living in the village from now on. Aiko, I've prepared an apartment for you. I made sure that it was a large and luxurious one. Here's the key. Also, just so you know, you are fairly wealthy now. I'm not your father so I cannot tell you how to spend your money so do as you please," Sasuke said, handing Aiko her key.

"Is the apartment far?" Aiko asked.

"No, I'll show you where it is as soon as we're all done here," Sasuke replied.

"Aiko-chan, how old are you?" Sakura asked.

"I'm sixteen," Aiko replied.

"Oh, you're four years older than Sarada," Sakura noted.

"Sasuke-san, what did my father look like? Do you have any pictures of him?" Aiko asked. Sasuke froze. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"There's only one picture of him, it's an old one. He's thirteen years old in it. If you want it, you have every right to have it. I'll get it for you as soon as I can, for now, let me take you to your apartment," Sasuke said, choosing his words carefully. Aiko nodded, happily. They stood up and she followed him out.

…

"This is it. If you need anything, Sakura and Sarada are always here," Sasuke said.

"Wait, are you not going to be here?" Aiko asked.

"No. As soon as I get the picture for you, I'm leaving," Sasuke said.

"Uncle Sasuke…my father is dead, right?" Aiko asked. Sasuke looked down at her, sadness in his heart. He just nodded before he turned around and left.

She turned around and unlocked the door with a heavy heart.

"So, father really is gone," Aiko told herself. At those thoughts and feelings, Aiko's eyes began to get blurry. She rubbed them and sighed. She looked around at her new apartment. It was definitely large. It looked new and shiny. It was very modern. The living room, kitchen, and even her room were giant. She even had a private bathroom and a large walk in closet.

"Well he didn't exaggerate when he said it was going to be extravagant," Aiko said, she went to the bed to lay down and she yawned. She was definitely tired. She closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.

…

"Naruto. I need you to get me something," Sasuke said as he walked in to the Hokage's office.

"What is it?" Naruto asked.

"It's a picture of Itachi. I know there has to be one in the Konoha Criminal Book," Sasuke said.

"That's definitely something old, but since he was a ninja, his ninja registration picture should still be obtainable," Shikamaru said.

"What for?" Naruto asked.

"Aiko wants to see her father's face…I'll be leaving as soon as I get the picture to her," Sasuke said.

"Shikamaru, do you think you can find it?" Naruto asked. Shikamaru nodded and went to look for it in the files.

"Aren't you going to stay even the night?" Naruto asked him.

"No, I have things to do," Sasuke replied. Naruto nodded as Shikamaru walked in.

"Here it is," Shikamaru said, handing the picture to Sasuke. When Sasuke looked at it, he felt a pang of pain in his chest. There he was, his big brother just the way he looked before things turned out for the worst.

"Oh, here, for Aiko," Naruto said, he gave Sasuke a frame that fit the picture perfectly. Sasuke got the frame and put the picture in it.

"Well then, I'll see you later," Sasuke said walking out. Naruto and Shikamaru just nodded. When Sasuke got to Aiko's apartment, he found that she was asleep. He sighed and placed the picture at her doorstep with a note and went to say goodbye to Sakura and Sarada.

…

"Leaving? But you just got here," Sakura said sadly.

"Why don't you at least sleep here tonight?" Sarada asked. Sasuke looked at his dejected girls and sighed.

"I can't, I need to continue my mission," Sasuke said. The girls just nodded. They hugged him tightly before he turned around to leave.

…

Aiko woke up when the rays of the sun shone on her face. She blinked and stretched, yawning. She got up and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day. When she came out, she noted that there was a hard plastic card with a note on it. She picked it up and read.

"This is your money, buy what you need with it, Sasuke…Well this is a strange way to keep money," Aiko said, holding the small card in her hand.

She decided that she needed to buy groceries, Sasuke provided her with all this but he didn't buy food, not knowing what she needed. She put her keys and card in her pocked and walked over to the door. When she opened it, she knocked something over. She picked it up and gasped. It was a picture frame with the picture of a boy on it. She read the note that was on it.

"This is your father, Itachi, when he was thirteen years old. It's all there is, Sasuke. Boy, uncle Sasuke really knows how to be sweet," Aiko sighed. She looked at the boy in the frame. His expression was serious. It was the male version of her. She ran inside and put the picture on a table. She ran out, locking the door behind her.

"Well, time to go shopping," Aiko smiled, smelling the fresh air as she walked towards the market.

…

 _Thank you for reading! (:_


	5. Chapter 5

_Here's the next part! Enjoy! (:_

…

"Oh, I've never seen you around before," an old woman said when she saw Aiko.

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Aiko. I'm new here," Aiko smiled.

"Well then, just so you know, I have the best vegetables at the best prices," the old woman said with a wink. They both giggled. Aiko payed the woman and turned to walk to the next store.

"Oh, Aiko-chan, what are you up to?" Konohamaru greeted. Aiko turned to look up at the man who walked her around the village yesterday.

"Konohamaru-sensei," Aiko greeted, smiling because she remembered his name.

"Just Konohamaru please," Konohamaru chuckled.

"Okay, Konohamaru. I'm just shopping for groceries," Aiko giggled. Konohamaru blushed at the giggling girl. She was so darn cute. He mentally slapped himself. He was a decade older than her. What was he? A pervy old dude?

"Sounds like you're getting along just fine," Konohamaru mused. She smiled up at him.

"Oh, do you know where I can get some flowers?" she asked. He looked down at her.

"The Yamanaka flower shop is a great place to get flowers, would you like me to take you there?" Konohamaru asked.

"I'd appreciate that! I just need to finish shopping," Aiko said.

"That's fine, I'll tag along. Do you want me to help you carry your bags?" he asked her. Aiko smiled up at him sweetly.

"That'd help a lot. I'm not strong," Aiko smiled sheepishly. Konohamaru grabbed her bags, smiling. When the shopping was over, they walked over to the Yamanaka shop. When they opened the door and walked in, Aiko was rushed with the smell of flowers.

"It smells so wonderful," Aiko said aloud.

"Thank you. Oh, Konohamaru, what's up? Who's this?" Ino asked.

"Her name is Aiko. She said she wanted flowers and I told her this was the best place to get them," Konohamaru replied. Ino smiled widely.

"Hi, Aiko-chan. Konohamaru's right you know. What type of flowers were you looking for?" Ino asked.

"I was looking for some flowers for my father," Aiko said slowly. Ino noted her expression.

"I have just the right ones for you, I'll be right back," Ino said as she walked to the back of the store. Aiko was walking around, smelling and gazing at all the different flowers. Ino came back out with a long thin vase with white flowers in it.

"That's perfect!" Aiko said happily. Ino smiled as Aiko walked up to the counter. She pulled out her money card to pay.

"You don't have to pay me, this is a gift from me," Ino smiled. Aiko smiled widely and hugged her.

"Thank you!" Aiko said with teary eyes.

"Mom, what other arrangements did we need to make for the orders?" a boy with pale skin, blonde hair and pale blue eyes asked, walking towards them from the back of the store.

"Oh, Inojin, this is Aiko, she's a new resident of the village," Ino told her only child.

"Ah, hello there," Inojin greeted Aiko with a slight bow. Aiko bowed back, smiling sweetly.

"We have about four more arrangements and two bouquets," Ino told him.

"Ah, well, it was nice seeing you, I'll be back soon," Aiko smiled at Ino. She bowed and left with Konohamaru walking behind her. They walked to her apartment.

"Well, thank you for walking around with me, it was really helpful. Next time, I'll know where everything is," Aiko said.

"No problem at all, see you later," Konohamaru said as he left. Aiko turned and unlocked her door and locked it behind her.

"What a nice sensei. I'm glad I have a friend already," Aiko mused. She put the bags in the kitchen and took the vase with flowers over to her bedroom. She walked up to the vanity where she left her father's picture.

"You're very handsome, father," Aiko smiled lovingly as she put the vase next to the picture. She clasped her hands together to say a prayer.

"I wonder what happened to you…" Aiko said to herself with a sigh. She went to the kitchen to put away all her groceries.

…

"It's his daughter, I can feel it," a dark figure wearing a black hood said.

"What shall we do, papa?" a young pale boy wearing white asked.

"We wait for the perfect moment…she will be useful to us, this, Uchiha princess," the hooded figure said with a menacing smile.

…

 _Hi guys! Thanks for reading! If you're catching up with the Boruto anime/manga I'm sure you have an idea as to who these two mysterious people at the end are. 'Til next time, hope you enjoyed! (:_


	6. Chapter 6

_Here's the next part! Enjoy! (:_

…

"All right! If I want to find out more about you father, I need to go check the library," Aiko said. She was dressed and ready to go. She kissed the picture and ran off to the library.

"The Uchiha Clan? Yes, there's a book on them. Here, this is where you can find it," the librarian said, writing something down on a paper.

"Ah, before you go, due to recent findings, that book is a little out dated," the librarian said.

"Is it because of me?" Aiko asked. He nodded with a gentle smile. Aiko smiled politely and took the paper from him. She read it and followed the directions. Second floor huh? She went up the stairs and went through the aisles until she got to it. There was just one. She pulled it out and saw the Uchiha crest on the cover, it was large and blue. She hugged it to herself and went to sit down on a nearby couch. She began reading. There was information about the different types of Sharingan.

"The Uchiha Clan, due to grave misfortune, nearly lost its entire lineage. At the present time, the only ones known to be living to carry on the bloodline are Sasuke Uchiha and his daughter," Aiko read aloud to herself. When she finished reading it, she went back to the librarian.

"Excuse me, I'd like to see the next set of data pertaining to Itachi Uchiha please," Aiko said.

"Just a second," the librarian replied. He started typing away at his computer and then frowned, "It seems that access to data relating to Itachi Uchiha is restricted," he said.

"I can't see it then…" Aiko said sadly.

"I'm very sorry, those are the rules and I don't make them," the librarian said with a frown.

"No, thank you very much," Aiko said, turning in the book she was reading. She walked out of the library to find Konohamaru walking by.

"Oh, Aiko-chan, what are you up to?" Konohamaru asked.

"Konohamaru-sensei, where can I find out about my father," Aiko asked. Konohamaru frowned, unsure of what to say.

"I'm sorry Aiko-chan, but I don't know anything about that," Konohamaru managed to say. Aiko just looked down at the floor sadly.

"Thanks anyway," Aiko said, smiling up at him. He pat her head.

"Don't worry too much, Aiko-chan. I know! Do you want to eat something?" Konohamaru smiled sheepishly.

"Thank you for the offer, but no thank you, I gotta get going," Aiko said, waving him off. She went straight to the Hokage tower.

…

"It's another letter from Sasuke…I'm gonna go meet up with Sasuke. I'm leaving a Shadow Clone here in the village, and going over there personally," Naruto said. Shikamaru nodded at him. Naruto put on his cloak and walked toward his door but was stopped when there was a knock.

"Come in," Shikamaru said. Aiko walked in.

"Lord Seventh, I want to know about my father," Aiko said, getting straight to the point. Naruto just gave her a sad expression. That was a long story and one that he didn't think was capable of telling her. She needed to hear that from Sasuke, not him. That being said, who knows if she would ever be told the truth? It was not a good story to tell or hear.

"Aiko-chan…I don't think I'm the right person to ask this to…" Naruto managed to say.

"But…Uncle Sasuke isn't even here…" Aiko said sadly. Both men just looked at her, not knowing how to touch on this subject.

"You can ask Sasuke when he gets back," Naruto offered. Aiko just nodded and bowed. She turned around and left.

"Not even Lord Hokage will tell me…I have to ask Uncle Sasuke…wait, isn't Lord Seventh going to meet him right now? I'll follow him and ask uncle about it," Aiko said happily. She rushed over to the main gate.

"Where are you going?" the guard at the gate asked.

"I'm going to the watch tower," Aiko replied.

"It's too dangerous out there for you," the guard said. Aiko just pressed her lips tightly.

"But I have to go. It's urgent," she said. The guard just sighed and nodded.

"Just be careful," he said and she bowed before she ran off towards the direction of the tower.

…

"That's her. The Uchiha princess. Bring her to me," the mysterious cloaked man said to the pale boy.

"Yes, father," the boy replied and disappeared.

…

"Good thing there are posts with directions," Aiko smiled to herself. She was walking around and enjoying the fresh air.

"Aiko-chan, where are you going?" the old vegetable woman vendor asked.

"I'm just going to the tower, yourself?" Aiko asked.

"I just got back from my home. I live outside of the village and have my garden there. I come every day to sell," the woman explained.

"That sounds like it's a lot of work for you by yourself," Aiko noted. The old woman just chuckled.

"That's because I don't have anyone else to help me," she said. Without skipping a beat, Aiko replied, happily.

"Why don't I go meet you at your home so that I can help you carry your vegetables here?" Aiko asked. The old woman just smiled lovingly.

"You're definitely a sweet girl. But please, don't worry. This helps keep me young you know, well, I best be off," the old woman laughed. Aiko smiled at her and said goodbye. She kept walking towards the tower when she noticed Sarada and her chubby friend run past her.

"Maybe she didn't see me," Aiko thought to herself. She decided to try to catch up. She picked up her pace.

"Well, hello there, princess," a young pale boy said. He appeared out of nowhere in front of her. She was startled and fell back.

"Who are you?" Aiko asked. The boy looked at her up and down.

"Looks like you won't put up a fight. Come with me," he said, walking up to her. Aiko moved back and managed to stand up. She turned around and started running back to the village.

"Somebody hel-"Aiko cried. She was cut off by a blow to the back of her head. She fell down and the last thing she saw was the boy walking slowly up to her.

…

 _Thanks for reading! (:_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey guys! Enjoy! (:_

…

When she woke up, Aiko found that she was laying down on a cold iron table. There were large straps tying her down to it. She looked around as best she could and saw that she was in what looked like a lab.

"You're awake," a mysterious man said. He was pale and wore a black hood. He motioned to a pale boy to start. The boy pressed some buttons on the machine that he was standing behind and Aiko suddenly felt an enormous pain.

"S-stop," Aiko cried, tears forming in her eyes.

"Just endure it, it'll be over soon enough," the mysterious man said. Aiko cried out in pain.

"Un-uncle Sasuke," Aiko whimpered.

"Why do you call that traitor? He's a disgrace to the Uchiha name," the man spat.

"Don't you dare speak of my uncle that way," Aiko blurted out between gasps.

"Oh so you don't know? Hmph, I doubt they'd tell you in the first place. Well, allow me to let you know," the man said.

"K-know wh-what?" Aiko asked. It was getting more and more difficult to speak. Whatever they were doing to her, it was painful and her body felt as if its life force was being drained.

"That traitor you so lovingly call uncle is the very man who killed your father, Itachi Uchiha," the man spat. Aiko's eyes grew wider and she felt a sharp pain in her chest. Her vision was getting blurry.

"You're a liar!" Aiko cried out. The man chuckled in a menacing way.

"You don't believe me? Poor girl, being fed lies. I'm sure that ignorance is bliss and all, but I don't believe that Itachi's daughter should be living in lies, especially about her own father," the man said. Aiko tried to struggle against the bonds but to no avail, they were tight and she wasn't strong enough to break free. She wasn't going anywhere. Images of Sarada and Sasuke flashed before her. Of the village, of her friends.

"You're lying," Aiko said, almost a whisper.

"It's no lie. Sasuke Uchiha is a traitor that murdered his own brother," the man said again. Aiko's eyes were so watery that she could no longer see.

"Hmph, just how much chakra does this girl have," the annoyed young boy said. He was standing behind the monitors.

"Patience! She's very important. Once we have all her chakra, we'll harvest her DNA," the man said, feeling triumphant.

"I'm going to die…" Aiko whimpered quietly.

"Well, yes. But don't worry. You won't truly die. We're going to make clones with your DNA, in other words, you'll be alive through them," the man said. Aiko felt disgusted. Suddenly, her eyes burned.

"Ah, the Sharingan…is this your first time? You looked surprised," the man said. Aiko noted the burning sensation in her eyes, it didn't hurt, it was just a strange feeling. She looked at them and saw fire in the center of their bodies.

"Th-this is the Sharingan?" Aiko asked.

"Yes, it is something only we Uchiha possess. You should feel proud, now, you are that much more valuable to us," the man said. Aiko glared at him, sweating and gasping from the pain.

"So…it's chakra that you're taking from me…" Aiko asked, noting a blue light coming from her body through the wires into the collection chamber they had her strapped on to. Before he could answer, the man grew tense.

"He's coming! Make sure that machine does not stop!" the man shouted. The boy nodded and as he did, Sasuke appeared in the room using his Rinnegan.

"Uncle Sasuke…" Aiko sighed before she blacked out.

…

"You're awake," Sarada sighed. Aiko looked around and noted that she was in the hospital and safe.

"You had us all worried," Sakura said walking in.

"Aunt Sakura, Sarada…what happened?" Aiko asked, she could barely speak.

"Don't strain yourself. Well, those guys were draining your chakra. They almost got it all and that's why you had to be hospitalized," Sakura replied. Aiko thought in silence, trying to remember what happened.

"Uncle Sasuke?" she asked.

"As soon as we found out that you were missing, it's like papa knew. He told us that he'd bring you back," Sarada answered. Aiko smiled.

"Naruto," Sakura greeted.

"Lord Seventh," Aiko and Sarada greeted.

"How are you, Aiko-chan?" Naruto asked. Aiko nodded, forcing a smile.

"I'm okay," she replied.

"So, you awoke your Sharingan," Naruto noted. Aiko just nodded.

"It's because she almost died…" Sarada said solemnly. The room was quiet for a while.

"Aiko-chan. Do you want to train? To become stronger?" Naruto asked. Aiko looked up at him silently. It wasn't even a question. It seemed that being the last of the Uchiha had its dangers. Maybe that's why her father hid her away from the world.

"Yes, I don't want to burden anyone anymore," Aiko said.

"Aiko-chan, you're not a burden," Sakura quickly said.

"It's true, Aiko-san, you are precious family," Sarada chimed in.

"I appreciate that, but I want to be stronger. I don't want something like this to ever happen again," Aiko but in. Everyone was silent.

"Well, we should let Aiko rest, she just woke up after all," Sakura said, breaking the silence.

"Right. Aiko-chan, when you are better, come to my office," Naruto said. Aiko nodded and he let himself out.

"If you want training, I can help you," Sarada said happily. Aiko smiled lovingly at her younger cousin.

"Alright then, Aiko-chan, get some sleep, we'll talk later," Sakura said motioning for Sarada to leave with her.

"Rest up, Aiko-san," Sarada smiled as her and Sakura left, closing the door behind them.

"My family," Aiko sighed lovingly. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

…

"Aiko-chan, Sasuke is back…I know you wanted to talk with him," Sakura said. Aiko was visiting them when Sasuke arrived.

"You have things to ask," Sasuke said. Aiko nodded and walked up to him. Sasuke motioned for Sakura and Sarada to leave them alone in private.

"Y-yes…uncle Sasuke, please! Tell me the truth…what happened to my father?" Aiko asked. Sasuke pursed his lips.

…

 _Thanks for reading! (:_


	8. Chapter 8

Hi guys!

I'm sorry for the late upload! Life. :\

Thanks for being patient with me! Here's the next part! Memories/flashbacks in italics. Enjoy! (:

…

Sasuke pursed his lips and let out a long sigh. He didn't like talking about his brother. Aiko was sitting on the sofa across from him, waiting patiently.

"Itachi was a prodigy. No one could ever be the ninja that he was…growing up, I resented him for always getting my father's attention," Sasuke began, staring out the window into nothing.

 _He was sitting on the porch looking at his report card. Sasuke stood there, watching his eyes move over the paper._

" _Are you upset with me?" Itachi smiled. Sasuke was shocked at the sudden question. He didn't know how to answer him. Surely he resented him but that wasn't Itachi's fault. It was their father who didn't give him the attention he deserved. Before he could say anything, Itachi spoke again._

" _Even if it means being hated, that's what big brothers are for," Itachi said. He looked at Sasuke with loving eyes. Sasuke wanted to tell him that he was wrong, that he loved him, but they were interrupted by other clansmen shouting for Itachi to go out._

"I came home from school one night. The entire Uchiha district was dark and seemingly empty. As I continued on, I realized that it wasn't empty, there were dead clan members everywhere. When I got to our house, I found him standing over our parent's dead bodies. He killed them and everyone in our clan. After that I vowed to avenge my parents and my clan. I decided that I would kill Itachi," Sasuke said. Aiko was listening intently, quietly. Sasuke sighed. It was a difficult story to tell. He closed his eyes and remembered his happy days with his older brother.

"Wh-why would he do that?" Aiko asked.

"Because, the clan was going to rebel against and attack the hidden leaf. He was a double agent. The one who stopped a war from breaking out in the village. Under orders from the hokage, he got rid of the Uchiha clan," Sasuke said.

"U-uncle Sasuke?" Aiko asked. Sasuke noticed that he had grown silent. Sasuke snapped back to reality and looked at the female version of his brother.

"After, Itachi joined the Akatsuki. He kept watch on the village from there, kept watch over me," Sasuke continued.

 _Itachi had gotten home late. He was taking his shoes off at the entrance._

" _Itachi," Sasuke called. Itachi looked at him. He had a weird expression on his face._

" _Help me with my shuriiken today, please," Sasuke asked. Itachi stared down at him with a solemn expression._

" _I'm busy…why don't you ask father?" Itachi replied, his voice soft._

" _But you're better at shuriken. Even I know that," Sasuke countered, pouting with his arms crossed behind his back._

" _Why do you always treat me like I'm such a pest?" Sasuke asked when Itachi said nothing. Itachi beckoned him with his hand and jabbed him in the forehead with his index and middle fingers._

" _Sorry, Sasuke. Maybe next time," Itachi said. Sasuke let out a painful noise._

" _You always say 'Sorry Sasuke' and then poke me in the forehead. You never have time, it's always the same story," Sasuke pouted. Itachi stood up and walked out, leaving Sasuke there to stare at his fading back._

"Eventually, we fought again and I killed him. I don't think it was all me though, I had already lost. He died so that he could pass on his jutsu to me, so that I could become stronger to walk the path that my brother gave his life to show me. Revolution. Itachi hated all the fighting and he wanted it to stop…" Sasuke said. He looked at Aiko who stared at him intently, tears running down her cheeks. Sasuke sighed. There was a sharp pain in his chest.

 _A worn out Itachi was walking slowly up to Sasuke. Blood falling from his mouth. Sasuke's eyes were wide. He looked up and around for a place to run. He didn't have any more chakra and he was too tired to even move. He was beat. As Itachi got close, Sasuke flinched at the sight of his index and middle fingers going up to his face. He was going to take his eyes! Sasuke flinched, eyes closed when he felt a familiar prod on his forehead. He opened his eyes to look into the dying eyes of a smiling Itachi._

" _Sorry Sasuke, this is the last time," Itachi managed to say weakly. He fell on his back and lay there, dead with a peaceful smile on his face._

"His dream was to be the best ninja, ascend to Hokage and then use that position to freely lead the world to peace, and then, rid the world of all fighting," Sasuke said. Aiko stared at her hands on her knees silently. She had not said even one word the entire time.

"My father was kindhearted?" Aiko asked slowly and carefully, trying not to sob. Sasuke looked at her and smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry, Aiko, but that's the way it is," Sasuke said. Aiko's thoughts were racing fast in her mind. There was so much information to process at once. So, in the end, her father was killed by his younger brother. Her uncle. Sakura didn't know what to do. She had been listening in on their conversation. She wanted to run up to Aiko and hug her tightly and tell her to not get angry or take revenge. She knew all too well the love Sasuke has for his brother. If Aiko wanted revenge, Sasuke wouldn't get in her way.

"My father was such a cool guy, huh?" Aiko finally said with a sad smile and chuckle. Sakura let out a sigh of relief.

"Yes, he was," Sasuke said. Aiko looked up at him.

"Thank you, for not lying to me," Aiko told him. She was still crying, her shoulders shaking steadily. Sasuke walked up to her and hugged her tightly.

" _Nee-san!" a young Sasuke shouted, running up to hug Itachi. Itachi looked down at him lovingly and hugged him back gently._

"Uncle Sasuke?" Aiko asked. She felt his tears wetting the shoulder of her shirt. She looked up at him and smiled. Sasuke looked down at her, smiling.

"I'll take care of your child, big brother," Sasuke thought.

…

Thanks for reading! (:

If you have any suggestions as to where this should go or just want me to end it because I'm writing too much already, let me know! 'Til next time! (:


	9. Chapter 9

_Here's the next part! Enjoy! (:_

…

Ai was laying on her bed with her eyes closed. After that talk with her uncle Sasuke, she just wanted to be alone. She opened her eyes and turned to the picture she had of her father. A young face and yet, and old looking face. It was a serious expression. Maybe it was just for the picture? She sighed.

"What I wouldn't give to see you, papa," Aiko said to herself. She turned back to her ceiling and closed her eyes, trying to imagine her father. After a while, she fell asleep.

" _Papa! Papa!" a young Aiko called out. There he was, holding his arms out to her, smiling. He lifted her in a tight hug and spun her gently. They were both laughing. Suddenly, he stopped._

" _Papa? What's wrong?" Aiko asked. She looked up at him and his expression was blank, eyes faded. She looked down and saw a sword plunged through his back, sticking out of his chest. Her eyes were wide with fear._

" _Papa? Papa!" Aiko cried._

"Papa!" Aiko shouted, waking up from her sleep. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. They were wet with tears. She grabbed at the shirt at her chest tightly, it hurt a lot. She felt afraid and alone. Realizing that it was a dream, she stood up and sighed deeply. She walked to the bathroom to shower. When she got out, she put on plain casual clothes and tied her long hair into a low ponytail.

"I need to get some air," Aiko said. She grabbed her wallet and went to the market.

"Oh, Aiko-chan, hello," Konohamaru greeted.

"Konohamaru-sensei," Aiko smiled. Konohamaru frowned.

"You don't have to be so formal, Aiko-chan," he said but Aiko just laughed.

"Oh, Sarada!" Aiko called out. Sarada was walking with the two boys she saw her with before. They were in the same team and Konohamaru was their sensei. Sarada turned to her and smiled awkwardly. Aiko noticed but ignored it.

"Hey, Aiko," Sarada greeted. Everyone seemed to notice her being so awkward.

"We have a mission today," Konohamaru said, smiling.

"That sounds fun! But, be careful, Sarada," Aiko said. Sarada frowned. She didn't need to be worried about by someone who was weaker than her.

"We're going to be late if we don't head off now," Sarada said, turning around to walk away. The two boys ran after her.

"Bye then, Aiko-chan," Konohamaru said before running after and yelling at the three kids. Aiko felt a pain in her chest. She sighed and kept walking through the market. After a while, she got tired and decided to rest somewhere. She walked into the nearest coffee shop and sat down at a table. An old woman walked up to her.

"Is it true, child? Are you an Uchiha as well?" the old woman asked. Aiko looked up at her and nodded.

"But you aren't Sasuke's?" the woman asked. Aiko shook her head.

"Sasuke-san is my uncle, my father is Itachi," Aiko said proudly. The woman's face turned ugly in horror.

"That traitor! You're his spawn? I didn't know he HAD kids," the woman spat. Aiko's heart was pounding fast and hard. She got up and ran home. Slamming the door behind her, Aiko fell to her knees in the entrance and hid her face in her hands. She didn't know what to do. She was so frustrated. Thoughts of Sarada being weird around her and then that lady speaking ill of her father. If it wasn't for him, Konoha wouldn't be as it was today!

"Damnit!" Aiko shouted, crying. Then it happened, Aiko who since birth had been a happy child snapped. Her chest burned with rage. Unable to control her rage, she punched the floor and then cried out after. The boards broke and her knuckles were bleeding. She looked around. She was alone. She thought about her old home in the hidden Frost village. Her house was a small humble shack, but it was better than this, she thought. She thought of Granny and tears spilled. She missed her and everyone else in the small village.

"I can't be here anymore," Aiko said. She stood up and went to the bathroom to wrap her hand with the medical kit. She got dressed in black pants that reached her ankles, black ninja shoes, and a plain shirt. She had clothes with the Uchiha crest on them, but she decided to leave them behind. She wanted nothing to do with the hidden leaf village and nothing to do with her "family". She put her wallet in one of her pant pockets and then carefully tucked the picture of her father into another. She grabbed her wallet and walked out of the apartment, locking it behind her.

…

"Sakura-san," Aiko greeted. Sakura was in the hospital running around, she looked busy, perfect, Aiko thought. Sakura stopped to smile down at her.

"Aiko-chan, what's up?" Sakura smiled.

"Here, I don't need this anymore. Thank you for everything," Aiko said, bowing. She gave Sakura the keys to the apartment and ran out. Sakura stayed there, looking confused for a moment but was quickly made busy with another complaining patient. Aiko was walking towards the main gate where the two guards there stopped her.

"Aiko-chan? Where are you going?" one of them asked. Aiko smiled politely at them.

"Home," was her simple reply. She walked past them and out of the Hidden Leaf. She let out a large sigh of relief.

"I'm coming home, Granny," Aiko said to herself.

…

"You're leaving today, right?" Sakura asked Sasuke sadly. He just nodded his head. Sakura sighed and sat down on the couch next to him, tired from her day.

"Sarada?" Sasuke asked.

"She went on a mission today, she should be back soon," Sakura said. She stood up to do the laundry. She pulled off her shirt and checked the pockets.

"Oh," she said, finding the key in there.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked.

"Aiko came to see me today, she gave me the key to her apartment and thanked me," Sakura thought aloud. Sasuke tensed.

"Mama! Oh, papa, you're here!" Sarada said running up to hug her father. She looked up at him and he seemed so far away.

"Papa?" Sarada asked. Sasuke did not answer. He stood up abruptly.

"Why would she do that? Did she find a new home?" Sasuke asked Sakura. Sarada bit her lip in anger. He was ignoring her again because of Aiko.

"Maybe she thought that one was too big?" Sakura offered. Sasuke put on his cloak and disappeared.

…

"Naruto," Sasuke called. Naruto was sitting on his desk doing paperwork.

"Oh, Sasuke," Naruto greeted.

"What's up?" Shikamaru asked.

"Aiko gave Sakura the keys to her apartment today. Did she buy another one?" Sasuke asked. Naruto looked at him silently.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"Aiko came to us today, she told us she was leaving the village to go back home," Shikamaru said. Sasuke's heart dropped.

 _Itachi was walking out of the door, young Sasuke left behind to stare at his fading back. Disappearing from his life forever._

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, worried.

"Why is she leaving? Did she not like it here?" Sasuke asked, his voice wavering. Naruto stood up and sighed.

"She came to talk with us…she loves all of you but…she didn't feel like this was her home. It hurts to hear that she couldn't be comfortable here. I'm sorry, but that's all she told us," Naruto said. Sasuke pursed his lips and bit back a sob. He felt like he was losing Itachi all over again and it hurt him a lot. Naruto noticed and motioned for Shikamaru to leave. Once alone, Naruto put his arm on Sasuke's shoulder.

"I wanted to be there for her, for Itachi," Sasuke said.

"I wish I knew the reason she couldn't feel comfortable here…after all, this is rightfully her home," Naruto said slowly. Sasuke bit his lip and fell to his knees. Naruto kneeled down next to him.

"I understand, but you cannot just force her to live where you see fit. You said it yourself when she first came here. That you wouldn't get in the way of her decisions," Naruto said cautiously.

"But, but Itachi, I failed him again," Sasuke said, a tear running down his cheek.

…

 _Thank you guys for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!_


	10. Chapter 10

_Hi again! Sorry for such a long chapter, enjoy! (:_

…

The closer she got to her home, the colder it got. Along the way, she bought an overly large jacket. Aiko sighed in happiness. It felt good to feel cold, it reminded her of her home. As she arrived, she saw the familiar tea shop and burst into a run.

"Granny! Granny! I'm home!" Aiko shouted, running in. It was warm, cozy, and familiar. The old woman came out from the back, startled and happy at the same time. She embraced Aiko tightly.

"You're back child!" she said happily.

"I'm home," Aiko smiled into Granny's shoulder.

"What happened? You didn't like it there?" the old woman asked. They sat at one of the tables, drinking tea. Aiko bit a piece of dango.

"I liked it but…it didn't feel like home," Aiko said slowly. Granny listened patiently.

"…so that's how it is…maybe your cousin just feels jealous because of how much interest her father shows in you? As for the other thing, people are wicked and they are always ready to spit on you, you shouldn't worry about that woman's remark. Your father sounds like an incredible man," Granny praised. Aiko smiled at her.

"Would you like to see him?" Aiko asked. Granny smiled as Aiko pulled out the picture from her pocket. She handed it to her.

"My, my! What a looker! No wonder you're so beautiful Aiko!" Granny laughed. Aiko laughed with her. She smiled at Granny and sighed peacefully. It was good to be home.

…

"What about the mission? You know as well as we do how important it is. If we don't learn more about this new danger, we won't be ready to counter it when it arrives," Shikamaru warned. Naruto sat there silently. Sasuke looked at both of them, lips pursed together.

"I understand, but Aiko is more important to me right now," Sasuke said. Both men were shocked. Never had they heard Sasuke say something like that, at least not out loud.

"You really care for her, don't you?" Naruto asked quietly, smiling down at his desk.

"Yes," Sasuke replied.

"What should we do?" Naruto asked aloud.

"Just continue your mission, you can go after Aiko afterward," Shikamaru offered. Sarada was listening behind the door, fists clenched in anger. Her father had never ever said no to a mission for her or her mother. She had been very sick and still he did not show. Why would he be so adamant about seeing Aiko and not his real family? Sarada cursed and ran away. The men inside heard the footsteps running away.

"I think it wise you speak with Sarada-chan first. She seems upset about all this…as for Aiko, I'll go talk with her myself," Naruto offered. They all stayed quiet a moment and then Sasuke nodded.

"Alright, Naruto. I trust you," Sasuke said before leaving. He had to talk to Sarada.

"I'll leave a clone here, I'll be back soon," Naruto told Shikamaru. A clone of him popped out of a cloud of dust. He turned and disappeared.

…

"Sarada," Sasuke called. She was in her room, upset.

"She ran in crying. I tried to call her out of her room but she's just too upset. What happened?" Sakura asked him.

"I think she's jealous of Aiko," Sasuke said softly. Sakura understood then.

"Maybe it'll help if she understands. I know you have to leave on a mission today but you cannot just leave without explaining things this time," Sakura said. Sasuke nodded.

"Aiko, I'm coming in," Sasuke said. He opened her door to find her lying face down, crying into her pillow. He walked up to her and sat down beside her.

"Just leave already," Sarada said between sobs. Sasuke pat her head.

"Do you think that Aiko is replacing you, Sarada?" Sasuke asked. Sakura, listening outside the door, almost fell. He was so blunt. Sarada looked up at him.

"Isn't she?" Sarada asked. Sasuke smiled lovingly at her.

"Sarada, no one will ever replace you. You're my child. I am taking care of Aiko because she is my older brother's only child. I need to take care of his child, I owe him that much," Sasuke explained. Sarada sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Why do you owe him, papa?" Sarada asked, curious. Sasuke sighed.

"Because I killed him. For that, I owe him and I owe Aiko. I took a father from her," Sasuke said.

"Papa, how could you…" Sarada said, trying to find a reasonable explanation.

"It's a long story. I'll tell it to you the next time I'm home…Sarada, forgive Aiko. It's not her fault that I was paying a lot of attention to her. I'm sorry I made you feel like she was replacing you," Sasuke said. Sarada smiled up at him.

"No, I'm the one who's sorry, papa. I should have known better," Sarada said.

"You're just like me," Sasuke mused with a smile. He stood up and pricked her forehead with his fingers.

"I'll be back soon," Sasuke said. He walked out of her room to find Sakura listening in on them in the hallway.

"You're such a good papa," Sarada said, blushing. Embarrassed, Sasuke prodded her forehead and left.

…

"It sure is cold here," Naruto said. He was sitting down at the tea shop. Granny came from out back and her jaw nearly fell.

"Oh my! H-hello there! My, it's such an honor to have the Hokage visit us," Granny exclaimed. Naruto rubbed the back of his head with a silly grin.

"I actually came to check up on Aiko-chan," Naruto said.

"She's hurt you know," Granny said with a frown. Naruto stared down seriously at the table.

"I would like to talk with her," Naruto said. Granny looked at him and smiled.

"It's nice to see that you care so much about her," Granny smiled. Naruto smiled back at her.

"It's only natural. She is part of the village and that means she is my family," Naruto explained. Granny had heart shaped eyes.

"Well isn't that just lovely, don't you think so, Aiko?" Granny asked. Aiko walked up to them from the back.

"Hokage-sama, you think I'm your family?" Aiko asked slowly. Naruto grinned at her.

"I know you're my family, Aiko-chan," Naruto smiled.

"I'll leave you two to chat," Granny said, walking to the back. Aiko sat down across from Naruto.

"You know, Aiko-chan, I know it's a hard topic but you cannot let things people say get to you. There will always be mean people out there but it's up to us to be stronger than their cruel words and to keep moving forward," Naruto said. Aiko listened carefully.

"But, not even Sarada-chan likes me…it feels like I don't have a family," Aiko said sadly. Naruto smiled sadly at her.

"Family isn't just blood, Aiko-chan. It is the bonds we make with people," Naruto said gently. Aiko looked up at him with a large smile on her face.

"Like you and Konohamaru-sensei and Granny?" Aiko asked. Naruto pat her head with a chuckle.

"Of course," Naruto grinned. Aiko stood up abruptly and hugged him, crying. Naruto pushed her back gently by her shoulders so she could look at him.

"The Leaf Village will always be your home, Aiko-chan. Whether you decide to go back or not is up to you, the doors to the village will always be open to you," Naruto smiled.

"I want to go back, I miss everyone, but, Granny needs me right now," Aiko explained. Naruto nodded.

"I understand. When you're ready to come back, we'll be waiting to greet you with open arms," Naruto said. Aiko started crying again. It felt good to be loved.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Aiko said, wiping her tears. Naruto stood up just as Granny came out with tea.

"I'm sorry but I have to get back, thank you. Granny, take care of Aiko-chan. She's very precious to us," Naruto smiled. He pat Aiko's head and disappeared.

"What a handsome Hokage," Granny said. Aiko shook her head, laughing.

…

Sasuke was wandering around when he saw a familiar messenger hawk approach him. He lifted his arm and the hawk landed. He pulled out the note it was carrying and read it.

"Aiko-chan is safe. She is going to be taking care of Granny. She's going to come back to the village when she's ready. You don't need to worry, she's happy," Sasuke read to himself. He folded up the paper and put it in his cloak. He looked up at the sky and closed his eyes. He let out a long sigh.

"Onee-san, she's happy. As a father, the happiness of my child is very important to me so I know that you're happy with this," Sasuke whispered.

…

 _Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading! (:_


	11. Update

*!UPDATE!*

Hey guys!

First of all, I apologize for not updating sooner, I've been really busy lately with personal issues.

I'm glad you all enjoyed my story. I'm writing to you to let you know that it is over. However, there's another plot twist that I can add but I'm going to leave it up to you my readers. Do you want me to continue writing the story or are you okay with this ending? Let me know in the comments or PMs. After all, I'm writing this story for you all. Thank you for your patience! I'll be waiting for your responses.

-Author (:


	12. Chapter 11

Here's the next part! Thank you for being so patient with me! Enjoy! (:

…

It had been a few months since Aiko came back home. She was living in her old apartment. Even though she had a lot of money, she didn't spend much and when she did, it was nothing extravagant and always a necessity.

"It's almost closing time, Aiko-chan would you please sweep up so we can close? I'm going to count the money in the back and put all the stuff in the refrigerators," Granny said. She went to the back.

"I wonder how Sarada and Sakura are doing back there. I should write to them soon, maybe I'll write to them when I get home. Konohamaru-sensei too," Aiko smiled to herself. She was sweeping the tea shop when a guest arrived. He had pale skin and purple marks on his eyes. His hair was straight and black and his eyes were yellow. He reminded her of a snake.

"Welcome, we're almost closing but please, sit down and we'll be right with you," Aiko smiled politely. He bowed at her and took a seat at the far end of the shop. Aiko put down the broom and walked up to him.

"Thank you…I'd like some fresh green tea and some mochi," he smiled.

"Alright, it'll be right out," Aiko said. She bowed at him and ran to the back to place the order.

"Such a beautiful girl," he mused to himself.

…

"I wonder how Aiko-chan is doing," Sakura said. She and Sarada were eating dinner together.

"I feel so bad mama, I was so mean to her when she was here," Sarada said. Sakura smiled at her.

"Don't worry. I'm sure Aiko doesn't resent you or anything like that. You're her only family, she loves you," Sakura said, trying to reassure her. Sarada smiled up at her.

"I want to write her a letter mama. To tell her that we miss her and that she should visit us soon," Sarada piped up happily. Sakura smiled and nodded at her daughter who stood up and ran to get a paper and pencil.

…

"What do you mean you can't find him? He has to be there, isn't captain Yamato watching him?" Naruto asked. The messenger was panting from how far and fast he ran. Shikamaru shook his head.

"How troublesome. And at a time like this, seriously," Shikamaru sighed.

"We have to find him and captain Yamato…why would he leave in the first place?" Naruto asked.

"Lord Seventh! We found captain Yamato! He's badly injured and at the hospital right now," another ninja shouted as he entered the office.

"That's good," Naruto sighed.

"We have to send people after him. We have to find him," Shikamaru said.

"Right, gather a team and go after him," Naruto ordered. The two ninja left and he was left alone with Shikamaru.

"Do you think…?" Naruto began.

"He's going after Aiko?" Shikamaru finished for him. Naruto pursed his lips. He had to tell Sasuke if it was true.

"We don't know that yet, besides, I'm not even sure that he knows about her," Naruto said aloud.

"But if it is true and he's after her, then she could be in danger," Shikamaru said.

"We have to tell Sasuke, but if we tell him I know he will stop his mission to come after her," Naruto said. Shikamaru nodded in agreement.

"How troublesome," Shikamaru sighed. Naruto got a parchment out and began writing. He called the messenger hawk he uses with Sasuke and put a note in the pouch on his leg. He released the hawk and they both watched in silence as it flew away.

…

Aiko came back with the order and placed it in front of him.

"I'm sorry for coming so late, I was in a hurry and needed to rest," he said.

"It's no problem. Please, enjoy," she smiled and continued to clean.

"You look happy," he noted out loud. She turned to him and nodded, smiling politely. When he saw that she wasn't going to talk, he continued.

"It's very nice that you work for your parents," he said. She stopped cleaning and looked at him sadly.

"My parents are dead, sir," she said slowly. He made a shocked expression.

"I'm very sorry to hear that. Life is a terrible thing isn't it. Some people get to live very long lives while others die very young. It simply isn't fair," he said. Aiko nodded, that was something she could agree with.

"Yes. I'm told my parents were very young when they died, my father died at a younger age than my mother I'm told," Aiko said.

"How terrible. Uchiha Itachi was a powerful man, for him to have died so young is a tragedy," the man said. Aiko's eyes were wide.

"What did you say?" Aiko asked. Her heart was racing. Did this man know her father?

"I said that it's terrible for such a powerful man to die so young," he said.

"No, not that. The name. What name did you just say?" Aiko asked him.

"Uchiha Itachi," he said. Aiko's heart was beating fast. She walked up to him.

"Did you know my father?" she asked. He grinned up at her.

"Of course I did," he replied. He took a drink of his tea and sighed.

"Thank you but, who are you, sir?" Aiko asked, her heart racing so fast that her chest was starting to hurt.

"My name is Orochimaru and I can help you meet your father," he said.

…

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! (:


	13. Chapter 12

Hi guys! I'm really sorry I hadn't posted in a while, here's the next part! (:

…

"How could you possibly do that? He's dead," Aiko said sadly. Orochimaru just smiled at her.

"It can be done with little to no difficulty, trust me," Orochimaru replied. She looked at him, he gave her the creeps but could she turn him down?

"Alright, I'll go with you," Aiko said. He grinned widely.

"I'll meet you at the entrance of this little town," Orochimaru said. He stood up and left. Aiko stared after him. Should she really trust a stranger? But-she wanted to see her father. With a quick decision, she darted toward the door.

"I'm heading off now, Granny, bye!" Aiko shouted in a rush.

"Aiko-chan?" Granny called after her, but Aiko was already gone. Granny was worried. Who was that strange customer who came in late? Why did Aiko run off so fast? Did she follow that man?

…

"Do you think he'll get it? I told him to come here so I could go with him," Naruto said. They were waiting in the office, nervous.

"He'll be here," Shikamaru said.

"Naruto? Where's Aiko?" came Sasuke's voice. It was angry.

"That was very fast," Shikamaru noted. Sasuke ignored him, not taking his eyes off Naruto.

"Sasuke. You have to be kind to her, it's not her fault that she," Naruto began but was cut off.

"I asked where she was," Sasuke interrupted. Naruto smiled at him with a sigh.

"We believe they're in an old house near her home town. Are you ready?" Naruto asked, standing up. Sasuke just nodded. He opened a portal with his eye and Naruto jumped in with him. They disappeared.

…

Aiko followed him into a strange house she didn't even know was near the town. She looked around, they were alone and she was afraid. It was dark and the only light they had was from the moon and their little lanterns. When they entered the house, it was old and dusty. There was a strange man tied up in a corner with his mouth covered. Aiko gulped, she was getting cold feet. This felt wrong. She looked around and saw that there were strange markings on the floor with a scroll there.

"I'm afraid that although it's been done this before, you must be patient. Calling upon someone's soul more than once is quite the difficult task," Orochimaru said.

"Y-yes sir, but, why is that man here?" Aiko asked.

"If you want to meet your father again you must have a strong heart and mind. Do not fret over that man," Orochimaru spat. She pursed her lips and looked away from the man. There was a scroll laid out. He motioned her to walk up to it and once there, he took a kunai and sliced her palm, allowing the blood to fall on the scroll. She bit her tongue to calm herself. Then, the man was put in the center of the seal he had made.

"I've never used this method before but you indeed have his DNA, there's no reason why it won't work," Orochimaru said. He motioned for her to move aside and she did. Suddenly, he performed hand signs, snake-ram-boar-dog-tiger, and then he clapped his hands together. The blood spread out on the scroll in the form of the special seal. Aiko was afraid but stilled herself. She wanted to see her father.

"Now, stand back," Orochimaru warned. Aiko did as she was told and moved back a little. Dust and ash began to encase the man's body, taking on the form of an older version of the picture she had of her father. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest, tears in her eyes. She looked up at the man who was her father. Then, the man began screaming out in pain. Aiko fell to her knees and covered her ears. She didn't know this was going to happen. She was crying. The man was screaming until suddenly he stopped…what happened?

"Damnit," Orochimaru cursed. Aiko looked up and saw familiar figures standing in front of her.

"That's quite enough," came Sasuke's voice.

…

Thank you for reading!


	14. Chapter 13

Hi everyone! I apologize for the lack of updates, I've been in the hospital. As such, this is going to be the last chapter so it's going to be kinda' long. Thank you so much for reading _Itachi's Secret_! You've all been great! Happy Holidays! (:

3 TruthfulJerk

…

" _You're going about this all wrong. I didn't want to interfere because I thought you would figure it out, but look at what happened to Aiko…just because you say you're her family doesn't mean anything. You say that and then you send her to live alone in a village she has never been to. There are no feelings, no memories, and no love behind that. You need to have her live with you and the girls, as a real part of a family. Isn't that what you want for her?" Naruto lectured. Sasuke listened silently._

" _I can't believe that the dobe is actually lecturing me," Sasuke smiled. Naruto grinned at him._

" _Let's go save Aiko," Naruto said. Sasuke nodded with a new determination._

…

"That's quite enough," Sasuke almost shouted, he was angry. He looked at the seals and at the figure who was trying to take shape. He gritted his teeth. This trash was trying to resurrect his dear brother again. Once Orochimaru saw them, the jutsu got interrupted and the sacrificial man fell, dead. They scanned the room and found Aiko on her knees behind Orochimaru, covering her ears, crying into her lap. Naruto was at her side in a flash. He held her small body against his. She looked up at him, eyes wide and full of tears. She was afraid.

"Hokage-sama?" came her small voice. He grinned down at her.

"We're here to save you," he said. We? She looked up and saw Sasuke standing across from Orochimaru.

"I thought you knew your boundaries. How dare you escape to hurt a little girl? MY little girl. Lying to her, trying to bring my older brother back again from his resting place," Sasuke almost shouted. He was furious.

"Sasuke," came Naruto's voice. He was trying to calm him. Sasuke looked at him and the tiny shivering body of Aiko. Their eyes met, he saw that she was afraid. His gaze softened and in an instant, he and Naruto switched places. Sasuke held Aiko to him, she hugged him.

"I'm so sorry uncle Sasuke, I just wanted to see papa," Aiko cried. She was sobbing. He smiled down at her reassuringly, petting her head. Naruto was glaring at Orochimaru.

"I thought we had an agreement? Your boy is still in the village in training as a ninja. Don't you care about his future? Stop all this and come back to the hideout with me and live peacefully there," Naruto reasoned.

"Is it so wrong to have a child meet her father?" Orochimaru asked innocently.

"It is when you take another's life," Naruto almost yelled. Orochimaru just shrugged and held out his hands, he didn't want to fight against Naruto and Sasuke.

"Let's go home, Sarada and Sakura are worried about you," Sasuke said. She looked up at him with a weak smile.

"I'll get him back to the hideout, you take Aiko-chan home," Naruto smiled. Sasuke nodded. Soon, the small house was surrounded by Leaf Shinobi. Sasuke teleported himself and Aiko to the Leaf Village.

…

"Aiko! I was so worried!" Granny almost shouted. She hugged Aiko tightly.

"I'm sorry Granny," Aiko said. Granny looked up at Sasuke with thankful eyes.

"Aiko is going to come live with me," Sasuke announced. They both looked up at him in surprise.

"Not in an apartment all alone?" Granny asked, eying him warily. He raised up his hand defensively.

"No, with my wife and daughter in my home," Sasuke replied. Granny silently thanked him and hugged Aiko tightly again.

"Go, be happy with your family," Granny said with a smile. Aiko heard the word but couldn't quite grasp it. Family?

"Are you going to be okay?" Aiko asked.

"Of course! You can come visit whenever you want, I'll always be here for you," Granny said with a smile. Aiko hugged her, tears in her eyes.

"Bye, Granny," Aiko said as she followed Sasuke.

"We have a lot to talk about when we get home," Sasuke said. Aiko bit her bottom lip, worried about the scolding she was going to receive.

…

They walked in silence towards the Uchiha compound. Aiko was ashamed and hurt. She knew that she'd get scolded, just didn't know when it would come.

"Aiko-chan! You're back!" came Konohamaru's friendly voice. Aiko looked up at her friend who was grinning happily at her. She smiled at him.

"You two can talk later, I need to speak with Aiko-alone," Sasuke said. Konohamaru nodded and waved bye at her.

They continued walking until they reached a large lake with a single small bridge. They went to the bridge and sat down. Sasuke was about to get angry at her and lecture her but her remembered Naruto's words. The sun was setting. Sasuke sighed, smiled down at her warmly and placed his hand on her head lovingly. She looked up at him, eyes watery.

"Aiko, I know all this is difficult for you but I want you to know that you're not alone. When I was young, I thought I knew everything and I was certain that I was alone. My entire family and clan were dead, and my older brother was dead to me. Yet, I wasn't alone. You have friends and you have us-Sarada and Sakura are worried about you, we all love you, Aiko," Sasuke said tenderly. She stared out at the setting sun quietly, hanging on to his every word.

"Aiko…I should have showed you earlier. There are other ways to meet him-memories. I can show you his life through my eyes, even what he showed me through his own eyes. Reanimating him is not the way to go about it," Sasuke said softly. Aiko nodded in understanding.

"So this is where you and papa would play together?" Aiko asked with a smile. He looked at her with a playfully annoyed face.

"We were training, not playing," he laughed a little. She giggled with him. Had the sunset ever been this beautiful? She leaned her head to rest against his one arm and let out a sigh. She finally felt at peace.

"Oh, Granny told me that your mother left behind a journal. She didn't want to tell you because you were too young to read it but, she says that your mom wrote about Itachi in it," Sasuke said. Aiko looked up at him and laughed.

"Too young? Jeez, what's in there?" Aiko asked. After giving it a thought, Sasuke blushed and cleared his throat.

"Maybe we can let you read it when you're older, huh?" Sasuke asked. There was immense joy inside her chest that she hugged him tightly. He looked down at her, a little surprised.

"Jeez, it looks like you two are on a date," came Sarada's teasing voice. They turned to see her standing there with a jealous-looking Sakura who was pouting.

"Dear, can we cuddle in the sunset too?" Sakura asked with large teary eyes. Sasuke sighed and Aiko stood up and ran to hug Sarada. Sasuke stood up and walked up to his three girls. Yes, his three girls. He smiled down at his little family.

"I love you all," Sasuke said. Sakura and Sarada looked up at him with giddy blushing smiled and Aiko couldn't help but grin. Family. This was her family.

…

Thank you for reading! (:


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